Cong condemns cop firing

Expressing shock and grief over the death of Jaspal Singh and serious injuries to two others in police firing in Gurdaspur,state Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh appealed to the people to maintain peace and communal harmony at all costs and not to get provoked.

Expressing shock and grief over the death of Jaspal Singh and serious injuries to two others in police firing in Gurdaspur,state Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh appealed to the people to maintain peace and communal harmony at all costs and not to get provoked.

Claiming that the government was proving ineffective in maintaining peace and law and order in the state,Amarinder said in a statement: Either it takes no action and when it does,it resorts to overreaction thus complicating the matter further.

Meanwhile,asking the Shiv Sena organisers not to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere of Punjab,Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee chief Avtar Singh Makkar said: This is very unfortunate and should be highly condemned that two children of Sikh families have been killed by the hooliganism of Shiv Sainiks.

In a separate statement,Gurdaspur MP Partap Singh Bajwa also condemned police action against protesters. I am aghast with the audacious,irresponsible and inhumane act by the police authorities in firing on unarmed citizens in Gurdaspur. The police and district administration has been found lacking in its preparations once again. The government must act against the errant officers, he said.

Coming down heavily on the state government for not disciplining the police force,the Dal Khalsa on Thursday said: After lobbying teargas on Sikh protesters,the police opened fire on them. Many people in Gurdaspur had said that the police behaviour was completely ruthless.

The Dal Khalsa also demanded a judicial probe into the incident and suspension of the officer heading the police party.